Christmas Party
by Tall T
Summary: The Christmas party at Foster's take a turn for the worse when they are visited by three Friends who are a little bit too...festive for a family-friendly establishment.! MacxGoo, FrankiexOC and most importantly, EduardoxEurotrish.
1. Chapter 1

Frankie studied the covered table with nods of approval. Her grandmother's finest holiday cloth was laid nicely on the dining hall table, the special holiday porcelain set with winter motives was laid out, the Christmas tree was up, trimmed and decorated, and the hall was covered in bright, colorful garlands.

"Very good, I guess we're done in here" she told her two assistants.

"In that case, Frankie," Wilt began, "I'd like to go outside now and put up the lights now, if that's okay?"

"Of course!"

"Please stay here, Goo", Frankie told her other assistant as Frankie took a huge box and walked towards the entrance door. "I need you to lay out the place cards. Whenever we've let the friends sit where they want at the Christmas party, it always ends with a mess."

The annual Christmas party was a fairly new tradition at Foster's. It all began seven years ago, when Wilt got an invite from Jordan Michaels to attend at a charity function along with him on Christmas Eve. At the same time, Eduardo got an invite from his creator to stay with her for the holidays.

It began occurring to the Imaginary Friends that they were in fact allowed to come and go as they pleased, as long as they didn't try to avoid getting adopted. And the very next year, several Friends announced that they would take a leave on Christmas to go and visit their creators, or other former kids that they were attached to, or even other Imaginary Friends that had been adopted. Madame Foster worried that if this was allowed to go on, Christmas at Foster's would no longer be as festive, and decided to arrange an annual Christmas party just before the vacations, so that everyone at Foster's could celebrate together.

I trust you to place the cards as you see fit, but just remember to put Mr. Herriman at the top of the table.

"But that was Madam Foster's spot. Shouldn't you have it now?"

"I'd rather sit with Eric. You can put him and me on Mr. H´s right hand side."

Eric Johnstone was the world´s first psyciatrist specializing in imaginary friends (at least nobody else had tried to claim the title), and as such a regular guest at Foster´s. At first, his interest in the place had been merely professional, or at least seemingly so. But after a while, Frankie had admitted that her interest in keeping Eric around had become just a little more...personal.

"But don´t think too hard about it" Frankie added, "Or we´ll never be finished in time. Everyone´s going to be here, you know."

"Everyone?" Goo looked at her uncertainly "When you say _everyone_, does that include…uh…well…you know…"

"Yes that includes _Goofball_" Frankie answered, rolling here eyes. "Sheesh, Goo! He's not Lord Voldemort! I'm not going to bite your head off just because you say his name."

"If you say so."

"But make sure he sits somewhere I can't see him."

"That goes without saying", Goo assured her boss before she hurriedly changed the subject: "You've got the letter?"

Frankie fished a bunch of papers out of the folder she was carrying. "Of course. We can't have a Christmas party without World's letter."

"Actually, we had two Christmas parties without it. But that's when World was still living here, so I know what you mean."

World was a very special case. A friend who could create an entire playworld inside a chest and who already had abandonment issues, could not be left to just any kid, the management at Foster's agreed. So it was decided that World would not be adopted unless Frankie, Mr. Herriman and Madame Foster could all agree on someone being suitable and truly deserving. He stayed for two years, until Foster's got a visit from an orphanage whose children took an immediate liking to the Friend. When they had asked to adopt him, neither of the three had the heart to refuse. At an orphanage, there would always be children, so World would never be truly abandoned. It seemed like a perfect arrangement, and it had worked out very well for him, judging from the long letters he sent to Foster's every year in December. And since the letters were always addressed to Foster's Home in general, Madame Foster decided to read it loud for everyone at the Christmas party. This had become very popular; World was fondly remembered by everyone at Foster's.

As Frankie studied the content of the letter, she

"Ooh look, a mistletoe!", followed, of course, by a smooching noise.

Frankie turned around and looked at the place where Mac was now standing. "There's no mistletoe there", she commented with an overbearing smile.

"I was about to put one there, killjoy!" Goo snapped.

"I don't mind." Mac assured the two women with a smile.

Frankie opened her folder. "By the way, Mac, I have a job for you…" She handed him a bunch of flyers. "Give one of these to Jackie Khones, Fluffer Nutter, Eurotrish, Ringo Rango, Billy the Squid, Two-Head Fred and Chick Cluckers."

Slightly confused, Mac looked at the flyers for a moment before he began reading one of them out loud:

"Anyone who wishes to drink alcoholic beverages during Foster's annual Christmas party must help themselves to the drinks discreetly at the kitchen. You are not allowed to bring bottles or boxes to the table, use only neutral-looking glasses. Remember that many of the friends are not only minors, but also highly susceptible. Do not make a point of the fact that you are drinking, or what you are drinking. And above all, avoid getting visibly intoxicated, or you will be asked to leave the table. Foster's annual Christmas party is supposed to be a festive occasion for all the tenants. Please show consideration at all time. Signed Frances…" People are actually drinking at the Christmas party?" Mac said surprised. "I never knew."

"Me neither", Goo seconded. "Well, that's not entirely true…I noticed that Madame Foster – the original Madame Foster, that is – chugged down sherry like nobody's business. And that's exactly the words Mr. Herriman used when I asked him about it – "It's nobody's business", he always said. But I thought she was the exception that confirms the rule - which, when you think about it, makes very little sense. How does an exception confirm a rule? Wouldn't the lack of an exception confirm the rule better? I'm just saying…"

"It's true that Grandma was the only one who drank to begin with.", Frankie began explaining the moment Goo momentarily stopped talking to catch her breath, "But the year after, Jackie asked for a sip of her sherry, and she was so cheerful that she gave him a whole glass. So he shared it with Fluffer, and grandma gave them both another glass, and well…the year after that again, half a dozen friends asked if they could be allowed to have a drink at the Christmas party. Mr. Herriman was against it, but grandma gave them permission. Big surprise, huh?"

"I didn't even know Imaginary Friends were allowed to drink", Mac commented.

"They are, if they can prove that they're old enough in human years."

Mac looked visibly relieved to hear this, and it wasn't hard to guess why:

"So Bloo can't have any." Frankie assured him. "Still, the rule doesn't take into consideration that most Imaginary Friends don't get more mature with the years", she reflected. "Mr. Herriman and Wilt, for instance, were created with an adult mindset, but Scrappy was created in the 1920's, and he still has a kid's mind. It frightens me a bit to think that Scrappy could legally drink strong liquors if he wanted to. And even if he was old enough, can you imagine Cheese being drunk?"

"A terrifying thought" Goo replied, "but amusing"

"No, just terrifying" Mac retorted.

"By the way Frankie", Goo added, "I can DJ this year too, right?"

Frankie hesitated, giving Mac a pleading look, but Mac returned the look. This was a privilege that he didn't dare taking from his girlfriend.

"Okay", Frankie replied, rolling her eyes. "But this year, you have to play_ real_ Christmas songs, not just novelty songs."

"Hey, "Monster's Holiday" and "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" are real Christmas songs!"

"No, they're not. And you're only allowed to play two "Jingle Cats" songs, by the way."

"What, only _two_? For the whole evening?"

Frankie only replied with a silent frown.

"Okay, only two", Goo sighed.

"Oh, and this year, don't play "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot". We don't want a repeat performance of last year…"

"Oh right, I remember" Goo said, nodding solemnly. "Poor Eduardo..."

**~0~**

**That evening...**

The party was going well, but a few things worried Frankie. First of all, Goofball had learned about the alcohol regulations, and presented her with an identity card which, much to Frankie´s dismay, seemed to be completely legit. Unless he made a scene, she couldn´t keep him from drinking at the party. Second, even though she had been given a flyer, Frankie wished Eurotrish would've refrained from drinking. It was her and Eduardo's first holiday as a couple, and Eduardo looked kind of lost and alone where he sat waiting for Trish to help herself to some _weissbier _in the kitchen.

And ss for the party music:

_I want a hippopotamus for Christmas_  
_ Only a hippopotamus will do_  
_ Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy_  
_ I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy_

"Let her have this one, Frankie" Mad said calmly as if he was able to guess what Frankie was thinking. , "It´s Goo's favorite"

"Yeah!", Goo declared. "I even imagined up a hippo based on that sing once, just before Christmas.

Frankie looked at her. "You mean Hippo Hero? I remember him arriving between two batches of imagined Santas one Christmas. I should've known it was one of yours. At least he was easily adopted, I have to admit."

"I should think so. I made him cute and cuddly, just like I imagined him in that song. I know people are complaining about that song, they say that real hippos are aggressive and dangerous, but it´s not like any kid´s gonna get a real hippo for Christmas! Duh! Maybe if that song had been released in Africa, it could´ve been dangerous and misleading to have song about hippos making good pets, but hardly any kid who's heard that song has ever seen a hippo, except in zoos, and in the zoos they have fences and big signs saying that the hippos are dangerous, so the kids aren´t going to climb down and try to pet them anyway...

The doorbell rang. Frankie had no idea who that might be, but she felt slightly reliefed to have an excuse to interrupt one of Goo´s monologues.

The feeling of relief was short-lived:

"Hiiii, Frankie!

"Cheerio, Miss Foster!"

It seemed as if the forces of fate had ganged up on her in order to bring over the three Imaginaries she'd least of all like to have on this party.

* * *

_**To be continued! **Who are the three mystery guest? Here's a few hints: Don't try too hard; one of them is an OC, one of them is canon, and the other is..sort of canon. Confused? Stay tuned! And in the meantime, **please review!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Please tell me you're just lost on your way home to your current adopters,_Frankie said in her mind as she studied the three previously adopted Imaginaries that had unexpectedly decided to pay Foster's a visit in the middle of the annual Christmas party. _Please tell me you'll be on your way, I'll gladly pay for the bus fare, or even a taxi, just don't say you're here for -_

"We're here for the party!"

_Wonderful._

"But you're not part of Foster's anymore", Frankie tried.

"True, but we all got permission from our families to go to the party this year" the ringleader explained, and picked up a note. "Isn't that so, guys?"

"Sure thing!"

"Why, certainly, my dear!"

"Now what's this noise?" Mr. Herriman asked, hopping forward with Eric following just behind. "Who are these Johnny-Come-Late...oh dear."

The psychiatrist studied the three newcomers with interest, partly because he had never met them before, but just as much because, for some reason, one of them looked just like Frankie. Well, almost. She was just a little more...curvy. Though not as curvy as her first companion, who looked like a red, alien French maid. Her other companion, a male imaginary, was dressed as a Victorian dandy. He looked nearly human, except for his cartoony dog-nose.

Frankie sighed, and turned towards her boyfriend.

"Eric", she began, "This is Nemesis" - the red female in the French maid outfit nodded and grinned. "And Sir Toby" the dandy friend waved at Eric. "And..." she hesitated. "And..."

"Frankie!" the red-haired friend suggested with glee.

"Yeah, let's just go with that. Frankie."

"By the way" Nemesis said, waving a bag nonchalantly, "I hear that you are allowed to have booze at this party, is that so?"

"Yes, but under strict conditions", Frankie sneered at the reddish Imaginary. "And you need a permit!"

"No problem, the girl who created me is forty now", Nemesis informed, handing Frankie an ID card. "I'm old enough!"

"And you _know_ that I old enough, Miss Foster", Sir Toby said, "But I don't want to be an inconvenience, so by all means, here is my identity card."

"Fine!" Frankie snapped. "But as for you Frankie", she addressed her imaginary double, "I know that _you_'re not old enough."

"No problem" the bubbly imaginary giggled. "I don't need to drink to have fun!"

"But do you need _other_ people to drink to have fun, my dear?"

Frankie made a gagging noise as her double giggled in response to Sir Toby's comment.

As the trio made their way to the kitchen, Frankie went back to the dinner table, cursing under her breath.

Although Eric called himself a imaginary friends psychiatrist, he know enough about the human psyche to tell that this would be a very bad time to ask his girlfriend the one question burning on his mind right now. So he asked Mr. Herriman instead:

"What's the deal with Frankie's double?"

The large rabbit gentleman sighed. "It was roughly seven years ago", he began, "shortly after the students of Master Mac's class had paid a visit to this establishment. Apparently, one of Master Mac's classmates, Mike, had become more infatuated the then-Miss Frances than he would care to admit. On a whim, he created an imaginary friend who was essentially a copy of her –"

Eric nodded. His studies contained numerous examples of imaginary friends who were copies of real life people that their creators were crushing on.

"Except that she…how can I put this elegantly…had a more _easy-going _personality than her inspiration. Master Mike's parents were suspicious of his motives for creating such an imaginary friend, and promptly handed her over to us. She was quickly adopted, however, to a little girl."

"How old was this Mike when this happened?"

"Hmm? He was eight. Anyway, Miss Imaginary Frances returned last year. Miss Nemesis had reappeared a few weeks later, and she was hardly a good influence on Miss Imaginary Frances. Everyone was relieved when the two of them were adopted, to families living in different towns."

"Yeah, about that, what's the deal with Nemesis?"

"Oh, just a typical result of sibling rivalry. Years ago, one young boy imagined a masculine, bordering on mysognistic, superhero for an imaginary friend. His sister responded by imagining a female supervillain with a spitefully feminine attitude –"

"You mean Nemesis was created by a young girl?"

"Of course! Who else would think of –" Mr. Herriman interrupted himself. "Actually, I'm sure I don't want to know."

Eric nodded. A Christmas party was not the right place to share his stories of his interviews with curvy female imaginaries who had been created by twelve-and thirteen year old boys…

Mr. Herriman crossed his arms. "Is this why you asked about Master Mike's age as well? Honestly, Master Eric, I thought your profession's obsession with…the amorous went out with Freudianism. How you humans can live with these urges of yours without going mad is more than I can fathom. I am thankful that I, as an Imaginary Friend, am beyond such weaknesses…"

Goo frowned. "Ahem" she said loudly. "Have you forgotten about Cadbury?"

Mr. Herriman's look stiffened at the mention of that name.

"Oh Cadbury!" he groaned "Why did you have to be so irresistible? I was a fool…" he muttered to himself.

"Foster's had its share of heartbreakers", Goo told Eric.

"Did you _have_ to mention Cadbury to him?" Mac said sternly.

"He started it!" Goo tried, while Eric was already mentally preparing for the painful memories that would no doubt come up when it was Mr. Herriman's turn to have a therapy session.

"But anyway", Goo continued, "Is it true that Sir Toby's come to visit Foster's? Oh man, that's megawatt trouble!"

Mac nodded in agreement.

"Why, what's the problem with him?", Eric asked.

"He's Eurotrish' ex-boyfriend." Mac explained.

"And it was not a peaceful breakup, I can tell you that much!" Goo added, waving her hands frantically.

"¡Hola, have you guys seen Patricia?", a musky voice with a Spanish accent interfered. "She said she was just going to pick up something in the kitchen, and now she's been away for fifteen minutes."

The three humans turned and looked at Eduardo.

"By the way, who was that at the door?"

**TBC**

* * *

**_Some useful notes:_**

**_Nemesis is canon. She's one of the main characters in the episode "Challenge of the Superfriends"_**

**_Imaginary Frankie is also canon, strictly speaking. She doesn't appear in the show, but she appeared in the story "My Friend Frankie" in the Cartoon Network comic book. If anyone's interested, I can send you a link to the story in a PM._**

**_Sir Toby, however, is an OC._**

**_In the eighties and nineties, British Cadbury's caramel chocolate bar was advertised in a series of commercials starring a seductive, female cartoon bunny. In every commercial, some male cartoon animal would be fawning over her. Wilt said in the very first episode that some kids makes imaginary friends based on things they've seen on tv, so it's not unlikely that there are a few caramel bunnies out there in the FHfIF universe._**


	3. Chapter 3

From her place by the top of the table, Frankie noticed that Eric was standing in the corner eagerly discussing something with Mac and Goo. She had a pretty good idea what it was.

_Okay, so maybe this won't go as smoothly as I had planned_, she thought. _But I won't let it ruin Foster's first Christmas party under my management. _

A few minutes later, Nemesis' group returned from the kitchen in the company of Goofball and Eurotrish. Okay, this was a recipe for trouble, but for the time being, they were all behaving themselves. And Eduardo, who was looking rather lost just a few minutes ago, beamed as Trish returned to her place next to him by the table.

She cast a glance towards the desk from which Goo was handling her DJ duties. Goo waved at Frankie as she put on what she knew was Frankie's favorite Christmas song, "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. If she did that to try and lighten Frankie's mood, it worked, she had to admit.

Roughly an hour passed. The turkey had been consumed, as had the panettone cake that Frankie had tried making for the first time this year. The success of the panettone had lifted her spirits still more, and with renewed confidence, she prepared to read World's Christmas letter.

That, of course, was when she heard some noise from the bottom of the table. Walking towards it, she was not entirely surprised to see that the group making the noise consisted of Nemesis, Sir Toby, Goofball McGee, Imaginary Frankie and, to her grief, Eurotrish. She was sitting next to Eduardo, but clearly paying more attention to her new "friends".

Frankie managed to catch the attention of the Imaginary who still seemed to act as the ringleader:

"Nemesis!" she hissed, "you and your friends are breaking every rule about alcoholic consumption at the party, including the one about only drinking from neutral glasses." She pointed at Goofball, who was holding a can of Molson Coors. Nemesis looked around and shrugged.

"Fine", she eventually said. "We can just retire to the kitchen, right guys?"

"If the Madame insists, then certainly", Sir Toby replied

The rest of the party nodded and got up. Secretly, this disappointed Frankie. She was hoping that one of them, probably Nemesis, would threaten her or otherwise make a scene, so she had an excuse to throw them out.

"Ed-_huar_- do", Trish said with her most sensual Italian accent, "Are you coh-ming weed us?"

Eduardo, in response to this, sweated and looked nervously at her.

"Uh, but I don't drink. Besides, it's time for World's letter soon".

"Suit yourself", she responded, sounding disappointed and hesitating, if only for a moment, before she followed the rest of her group back into the kitchen. Frankie stared at the group, then at Eduardo, who looked pretty disappointed himself, not surprisingly. She was going to let Eurotrish stay at the table, if she wanted to. Mostly out of concern for Eduardo.

Frankie forced herself not to think about the party at the kitchen. It was her responsibility to make sure that the party ran as smoothly as possible, and for the moment, she had averted a scene. She told Goo to turn down the music, then tapped on her glass and started reading World's latter to a highly attentive audience. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about Nemesis' internal party already.

The reading took nearly ten minutes. When she was nearly finished, she suddenly heard a thump from upstairs. Pausing momentarily, she looked around. Nobody acted as if they had noticed the thump, and Frankie decided to take the chance on finishing the reading before doing anything else. After she had finished it, and the applause had died down, she discreetly took Wilt to the side and told him to go check on the party upstairs.

"Let's not panic for no reason", she told him.

A few minutes later, Wilt came running down:

"I'm sorry, but I think there's reason to panic now!"

Fearing the worst, Frankie followed him back up.

She shoud've seen it coming. Nemesis' party was wrecking the kitchen. Or actually, Nemesis, Goofball and Bloo were wrecking the place. Frankie had not noticed Bloo's absence at the table, but it didn't surprise her that he had somehow joined in on anything that looked destructive. Nemesis had demolished one of the kicthen tables and was using it as some kind of levitating surfboard. Imaginary Frankie was hanging from it, shouting "wheeee!". Bloo and Goofball had barricaded behind the other kitchen table. They were bombarding each other with kitchen utensils and - to Frankie's even greater annoyance and panic - with plates.

"ALL RIGHT, BREAK IT UP EVERYBODY!" she shouted.

Her fit of rage made everyone stop dead in their tracks, though it was probably out of surprise than out of fear. The four troublemakers all stared at Frankie and Wilt, looking as if they were all waiting for someone else to make the next move.

And someone did, someone else than everybody was expecting.

At the other end of the room, Frankie noticed that Eurotrish and Sir Toby were engaged in some kind of dance, or at least they looked like they had just finished one. Both were visibly drunk, and Trish was muttering something barely comprehensible. Sir Toby was holding his arms around her and his hands were, to put it elegantly, all over the place. She reacted to his advances with a mix of confusion uncertainty and some reluctance.

Frankie didn't even have time to comment on this scene before she suddenly noticed the voluminous presences of Eduardo right behind. He didn't look like knew how to react to this sight, either.

Coming up behind him were Eric, Mac and Goo.

"It was I who made Eduardo come up here", Eric admitted. "I told him he had to gather the courage to look after his girlfriend and confront his rival…in a non-violent way, of course."

"Fair enough, but did you have to drag Mac and Goo up here as well?"

I didn't. They just insisted on coming along."

Frankie nodded. "Yeah, they'll do that."

From afar, Eduardo looked Trish in the eyes.

"Patricia…?"

For a moment, the cute, cartoonish imaginary just stared into the air. Then:

"I really can't stay… I gotta go away…." ", she sang shrilling

"Trish is…singing?" Frankie said, mildly surprised.

"It must've been seven or eight years since the last time", Mac commented.

"This evening has been so very nice…"

"And we didn't miss it."

"My mother will start to worry. My father will be pacing the floor…"

"It's not as bad as you guys always told me", Goo commented.

"So really I better scurry. Well maybe just a half a drink more"

"Still pretty bad, though", she admitted as an afterthought.

'Before anyone could stop her, Trish had taken another solid chug from her glass

"The neighbors might think – Say, what's in this drink?"

"Good question." Frankie quipped pulling the glass out of the imaginary's hand. Nemesis!" she said, turning to hourglass-figured, red imaginary. "Not only are you visibly intoxicated, but you're vandalizing the place. You have to leave."

"Why, I'm not by da table", she said with a husky voice.

"It doesn't matter, you're still making a scene."

"Beat it" she muttered, and struck Frankie halfway across the room with one of her rainbow energy punches.

"Nemesis, you're only digging yourself deeper" Frankie cried.

"I wouldn't say that, she's still here, isn't she?" Goofball said, and giggled at his own weak joke.

Trish began singing again:

"Lash Christmas…I gave you mah heart. But the very next day…you gave it away…"

Staggering, she moved away from Sir Toby and towards Eduardo.

"Thish year…" she grabbed onto Edurardo's right arm and clinged to it like it was the only port in a storm "To shave me from tears.." she paused, and everyone stared at her awkwardly.

"I give it to someone special…" she grabbed Eduardo's chin, pulled his face down to her level and gave him a kiss on the mouth.

Everyone stared, and Nobody had actually seen them go this far. Granted, Trish' condition took some of the effect out of it, but still. For a moment, everyone expected Eduardo to faint from the shock.

He didn't. Not only that, but he also tightened up and walked towards Nemesis.

"You heard Madame Foster" he told her sternly. "You are visibly intaxed..detox…"

"Intoxicated" Frankie helped.

"Si, what she said!" Eduardo continued. "And you are making a scene! You will have to leave."

"Why don't you make me!" the supervillain friend hissed.

«I'd rather not hit a lady» Eduardo said calmly.

"No problem! I'll knock you out before you'd even get a chance to do that!" Nemesis declared, channeling her fists.

"I don't think you will, Senorita Nemesis.", Eduardo replied, still calm. "I watched your episode, so I know what to do."

"Episode? What are you talking ab- HEY!"

The purple giant reached out a hand and roughed it through the female imaginary's head.

"MY HAIR" she cried in anger and despair.

"Now that you have been rendered harmless" he continued, "I must please ask you to leave." He tried grabbing her by the collar, only to realize that her shoulders were bare. However, not even this little detail was enough to bring him out of balance. Instead he grabbed her by the hair again held her up against the wall. As nemesis waved in the air and tried desperately to punch Eduardo, the purple imaginary turned his head.

"And Señor Toby…"

"That's _Sir _Toby!", the dandy snapped. Eduardo scowled.

"Uh...I mean, if you don't mind" Sir Toby continued, looking a little nervous. "My good man."

Eduardo let go of Nemesis and moved slowly towards him.

"Now, let's not do anything hasty…"

Eduardo didn't do anything hasty. He just stood still right in front of Sir Toby, but this didn't do anything to ease the latter's mind.

"I mean, I had no intention of stealing back…I mean, stealing Patricia from you. It was merely an innocent gesture…something any gentleman would have done at a holiday jamboree."

Eduardo crossed his arms. "You, señor, may call yourself a gentleman, you may even look like a gentleman, but you were not a gentleman tonight. I'm going to have to ask you to leave as well."

The big, purple imaginary's attention was only momentarily drawn as Nemesis attempted to leap at him, only to receive another rough hair treatment.

"I think we should take his advice and leave, my dear!"

"Don't you 'my dear' me…" Nemesis muttered. "But yeah, we're outta here. Frankie", she said addressing the imaginary version, "I know of a place downtown where they're won't ask for ID from a pretty thing like you. Are you game?"

"Sure as long as there are boys there!" the bubbly, humanoid friend exclaimed.

"Great! Goofball, what about – Oh great"

The mooching imaginary had collapsed.

"If that is all"; Eduardo announced, "Then I shall escort the rest of you to the door."

"Hey, wait for me!" Bloo tried, but was stopped by Mac.

Without hesitation, Eduardo grabbed Nemesis and Sir Toby under each arm and carried them out, with Imaginary Frankie skipping cheerfully right behind them.

"Eduardo, that was amazing!" Frankie cried as he closed the door behind them. She grabbed him by the shoulders. "I've never seen such-"

She was interrupted by Trish pushing her aside and tried to put her arms all the way around the larger imaginary friend.

"Oh, Eduardo, _caro_! You shtood up for yourself, and you shtood up for me!" she hugged him. "You are a real man!"

"M-man?", the purple said, suddenly much more confused and nervous, as if he was just coming out of a daze, not quite aware of what he had been doing few minutes ago.

"Yes, caro, you were wonderful! " She hugged him tighter. You know what I want to do to a beeg, shtrong, wonderful hunk like you? Let me tell you –"

The smaller imaginary friend pulled down his head and whispered something in his ear.

_This _time, Eduardo fainted.

"Did I say something wrong?" Trish said perplexed.

"I'm going to assume you didn't, Patricia." Frankie answered her in a friendly voice. "Eduardo is just a little shy, you know. But I'm afraid you can't go back to the party. You're intoxicated, too."

The Imaginary looked down. "Okay, I understend."

"I'll escort you to your room", offered Frankie, who noticed that Eurotrish seemed to have some problem standing up. While she put the Friend's arm around her shoulder, she looked at her crew and said:

"Wilt…Mac…Eric...carry Eduardo to his room, please." hurriedly, she grabbed Bloo as she noticed the blue imaginary was trying to sneak away. "And take Bloo with you." Despite the imaginary's protests, Mac grabbed his hand determinedly.

"And Goo? The guests might have noticed that there's no music. Go back to the main hall, turn on something cheerful and pretend like nothing's wrong, because as far as anyone else knows, nothing is. This never happened, got it?"

Everyone nodded. "But what about Goofball?" Goo asked, pointing at the slacker friend who was still lying unconscious on the floor.

"Eh, we'll clean up the rest after party" Frankie replied snidely. "Also, I know what place Nemesis was talking about. I should probably give them a call…"

**~0~**

It turned out Frankie had been right. As far as anyone else knew, nothing bad had happened and the first Christmas party under her supervision had been a success. As she made her inspection round around noon the next day, she noticed Goofball was sitting in an armchair in the tv room with a heating pad on his head, groaning in hangover pain. She was tempted to "innocently" shout something in his ear, until she noticed that Eduardo and Eurotrish was lying on the couch next to him. That is to say, Eduardo was sitting. Trish was lying with her head on his lap. It would've looked cuter if she wasn't obviously suffering from a hangover on roughly the same level as Goofball's. Even so, the sight had already drawn a small crowd, consisting, in addition to herself, of Wilt, Mac and Goo.

"How is she doing, Eddie?" Goo asked well-meaningly.

"Eh, so-so."

Trish groaned in agreement.

"Caro Eduardo...Madame Foster...forgive me. I must have made a spek-tackle of myself last night. Why, I hardly remember anything of -"

She interrupted herself as if an epiphany suddenly came over her.

"I deedn't do or say anything embarrassing yesterday while I was at the beenge…deed I?"

"**NO!" **everyone replied in unison.

The End


End file.
